Hi Terence,
Nice story. My message came from Alex Moore. I will search for this when not too busy.

I have the book, 'Modern Ballroom Dancing' by Carl Bryant. Reading part of his description of the Whisk, quote:

The Whisk is one of the most popular movements introduced into Ballroom Dancing for many years. Although not a difficult figure to execute, it is danced badly more frequently than any other movement...

Maybe he was referring to your story.

He ( among others )very often get credit, by just " being there " .

He ( Carl ) actually developed it , apparently during the course of a lesson at Alex,s studio

Isn't that strange. It would seem that a normal Whisk isn't in favour. In demonstrations there are Back Whisks, Marcus in his Basic Waltz does two but there are no Whisks going forward.

You will find it more in use in the lower level competitive ranks-- Pro,s have more options to access prom.

I'll add my bit to the Alex Moore story and that picture. Being that his expertise as a competitor was in another direction and not Ballroom Dancing . He never won a Ballroom Competition ever. He was a Blues Dancer which went out of favour because the music was slow and the balance difficult. I was always under the impression that that photo was from the Blues.

Hi Serendipidy,
The photo of Alex and Pat is a frontispiece in all the early editions of his book, 'Ballroom Dancing'. The caption reads:

/*Famous teachers and demonstrators of ballroom dancing show the position of the feet and body in the Whisk variation.*/

Philip J. S. Richardson wrote of Alex:

/* I have known him for a number of years and one of my first recollections of him is his success, with his sister, in the big 'Blues' competition at Princes Galleries in 1923, and when for three years the World's Championships were held in London. I seem to remember he was 'close up' in the professional section. */

lluv2Dance. Richardson was writting about the Blues when he wrote." I seem to remember he was close up in the Professional section ". The reason I know and can remember is I was having lessons with Wally Fryer at the time when a battle between he and Alex Moore errupted. At one stage it came to a near punch up.Wally wrote an article in the Dance News as a reply about something that had been said and added that the gentleman in question had never won a ballroom dancing event.

Dont think Wally was big enough !!!!!!!!

Terence. Yes Wally was very light. Vi Barnes his wife and partner was the shortest women I ever danced with. Walley gets little praise for his contribution to dancing. He did introduce the Scatter Chasses in the Quickstep. But mainly he was the first, and at that time the only one, who said the lady must be more to the man's right side. Everybody now sets their poise that way and of course the Scatter Chasses are still with us. Both thanks to Wally Fryer.